Voting-machine.



PATENTED OCT. 27, 1908.

A. P. BARDWELL.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 11, 1903.

2. SHEETSSHEET 1.

No MODEL PATENTED OCT. 2'7, 1903.

A. F. BARDWELL.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 11, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

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No 742,278. Patented October 27, 1903.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR FRANCIS BARDWELL, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO FREDERICK ALBERT BARDWELL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

VOTING-MACHINE.

iiEGIFIGATIOTN forming part of Letters Patent No. 742,278, dated October 27, 1903. pplication filed June 11, 1903. $eria11lo. 161,036. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: the patent above referred to, sectional in con Be it known that I, ARTHUR FRANCIS BARD- struction, the section-plates a being suitably WELL, a citizen of the United States, residing supported by parts of the machine frame.

' at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State Along the central line of each section-plate of Massachusetts, have invented new and longitudinally extends a bearing strip 1), useful Improvements in Voting-Machines, of which is secured to the rear face of said secwhich the following is a specification, refertion-plate by screws that pass through tubuence being bad to the accompanying drawlar washers 0. These washers serve to hold ings. the bearing-strip b at a distance from the To My invention relates to improvements in rear face of the section-plate a. The acthat class of registering-machines by which tuators d are of the form best shown in Fig. a voter is enabled to register his Vote for can- 3. The front part or part in front of the latdidates at elections for various offices; and orally-projecting ears (2 6 projects in front of the object of my invention is to provide a the front face of the section-plate a,in which :5 device by which the voter is enabled to opit is rotatably mounted, while the rear half erate among the actuators of either of two takes a bearing in the bearing-strip Z). This sets of actuators, but which, the voter havrear half is formed with a socketf, adapted ing chosen to operate among the actuators of to engage the squared-off end of the shaft one set, prevents him from thereafter operupon which is mounted the driving-pinion of 2o ating any of the actuators of the other set. the counting deviceorregisterv. Thiscount- The actuators are designed to be operatively ing device is not herein shown or described in connected with counting devices by which detail, for it is preferably the same as that the vote is registered. After the voter passes shown and described in the patent to which the entrance-bar of the machine he is conreference has hereinbefore been made. The 25 fronted by the face of the machine, as is the front half of the actuator d is formed with casewiththemachine described in the United a key-slot 9, adapted to receive a double- States Patent No. 696,925, granted me April bitted key of the construction shown in said 8, 1902; but in this my new machine the patent. Upon that part of the actuator 61 voter does not find all the actuators operable, which projects in front of the front face of 8o 30 as is the case with the machine of said patent. the section-plate a is fastened a collar 71, of On the contrary, he finds all the actuators inthe form shown in Fig. 1. Along the central operable or locked against operation. In orline of the section-plate a, in front of the der to operate any of the actuators, the voter front face thereof, extends a slide t', formed is compelled in this my new construction to with keyhole-shaped slots j, through which 5 work a selecting mechanism by which the project the front ends of the actuators d. actuators of one set of actuators are released These slides i move up and down close to or made operable, while simultaneously the the front face of the section-plate, and the actuators of the other set not only remain walls of the slotj are adapted to engage in inoperable, but are by the automatic locking one position the collar 7t, while in the other 0 of the selecting mechanism put beyond the position the said collar is free to rotate withreach of the voter to select for operation. in the enlarged portion of the slot. In one In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevaset of slides the narrow portion of the slot tion of so much of a voting-machine as is necis uppermost, while in the other set of slides essary to illustrate my invention. Fig. 2 is the enlarged portion of the slot is upper- 5 5 a rear elevation of so much of a voting-mamost. Hence, assuming that the collars h chine as is necessary to illustrate my invenof all the actuators (Z are initially or nortion. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line A A, mally in the narrow part of the inclosing slot Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a sectional view on line C G, j, if the slides t' are all moved in the same di- Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line rection the actuators d of one set will be re- 10c 50 B B, Fig. 1. leased by being brought so as to project k My new machine is, as is the machine of I through the enlarged portion of the slotsj,

while the actuators of the other set will remain locked against rotation by being brought still farther within the narrow part of the slotsj.

Each of the slides 71 is provided at its lower end with a rack 75, the teeth of which mesh with a pinion Z, mounted upon the web 7%, to which are secured the lower ends of the section-plates c. This web on also serves to support two horizontally-slidable rack-bars n a, the teeth of which also mesh with the pinions Z. It is obvious that the intermeshing toothed mechanism just described may be actuated in several ways. For example, the pinions Z (any one of them) may be rotated or one of the slides 11 may be vertically reciprocated or the rack-bars n 01 (either of them) may be horizontally reciprocated. Devices for actuating the intermeshing toothed mechanism are provided by the following construction:

Outside of the front casing 0 of the machine and so accessible to the voter after he has passed the entrance-harp is a crank-arm q, suitably secured to one of the pinions l. The knob r affords a suitable means by which the voter is enabled to rock the arm q, and thereby to actuate the intermeshing toothed mechanism just described.

As will be seen by an inspection of Fig. 1, the collars h of the actuators d of the lefthand section will engage still further in the narrow portion of the keyhole-shaped slotj when the crank-arm q is thrown to the right, while the collars h of the actuators (Z of the other two sections will by that movement of the arm g be brought into the enlarged portion of their respective slots j. Hence by throwing the arm q to the right in Fig. 1 the voter releases the actuators of the two righthand columns, while the actuators cl of the left-hand column remain still inoperative.

In order to prevent the voter from operating among the actuators d of more than one set, I provide means whereby said intermeshing toothed mechanism is automatically locked at the completion of the movement thereof to bring into releasing position one set of the slides. This automatic locking of the intermeshing toothed mechanism is accomplished by the following devices: At or near the ends of the transverse rack-bars n n are riveted blocks 8 s, and to the web at are secured two fiat springs '6. When the parts are in their normal or initial position, the blocks 8 lie under 'a cross-plate it, which connects the free ends of the springs i but when the voter actuates the toothed mechanism by throwing the crank-arm qthe transverse bars an move in opposite directions and the blocks 88 separate from each other. When the rack-bars an reach the limit of their movement, (at which time, but not before, the slides 2' of one set are brought into releasing position,) the blocks 8 s are separated just enough to permit the springs 25 to force the cross-plate u between them. Thus the intermeshing toothed mechanism having been so moved as to release one set of actuators the said mechanism is automatically locked to prevent the same voter from releasing the actuators of the other set and operating among them.

Upon leaving the machine the voter restores the parts to their initial position and blocks further movement of the intermeshing toothed mechanism until the entrance-bar 1) has been raised by the next succeeding voter. The mechanism by which these results are accomplished is constructed as follows: The web m is formed with a horizontal slot 20, through which projects a screw m, that secures the resetting-bar 1 to the resetting-slide z. This resetting-slide is similar to the resettii'lg-slide described in United States Patent No. 696,925, granted me April 8, 1902, and is similarly connected with the entrance and exit bars, which are also like those described in said patent and have like automatic looking devices. When the resetting-slide is moved from its releasing to its locking position by the raising of the exit-bar 1, as is fully described in the said patent, the resetting-bar y is moved to the right in Fig. 1. Near the middle of the resetting-bar 'y is formed an incline 2, which leads from the upper surface of the shank end to the upper surface of the head of the bar 1 and when the bar y is moved to the right, as just described, by the raising of the exit-bar l by the outgoing voter this incline 2 rubs under the cross-plate u and raises it from between the blocks 8 against the tension of the springs t, in which raised position the head of the resetting-bar y. Thus the intermeshing toothed mechanism is released by the raising of the exit-bar l preparatory to its restoration to its normal position. Further movement of the resetting-slide in the same direction causes one of the ears 3 projecting from the head of the resetting-bar y to engage that one of the rack-bars n nearest it and to move the rackbars to their initial position. As will be obvious from a study of the figures, this movement of the transverse rack-bar 'n to its initial position restores the slides t' to their initial position, in which the collars h of all actuators d are in the narrow portion of the slots j, thereby rendering the actuators of both sets inoperable. The parts having been thus restored to their initial position, further movement of the intermeshing toothed mechanism is blocked by the following devices: Between the web on and a fiat spring 4 is secured a block 5, and to the free end of said spring 4 is secured a cross-bar 6, formed with a hole in each end, through which holes project guidepins 7 from the web m. The resetting-slide z is provided with a lip 8 at one end, and this lip is adapted and designed to rub against a conical-pointed stud 9, which projects from the cross-bar 6 and works through a hole in the web m. (See Fig. 4.) As in the Patent No. 696,925, referred to above, when the entrance-bar 1) is raised the resetting-slide it is then held by' ,2 moves from its looking to its releasing po sition, and this movement of the resettingslide a forces, by means of the rubbing of the lip 8 against the stud 9, the cross-bar 6 from the web on a distance suflicient to permit one of the rack-bars n to pass between it and the web m-that is, a distance which allows the intermeshing toothed mechanism to be operated; but until the cross-bar 6 is raised, as just described, the path of travel of the rackbars a is blocked and the toothed mechanism cannot be operated. Hence when the outgoing voter by raising the exit-bar moves the resetting-slide from its releasing to its looking position (during which movement the various parts of the machine are restored to their normal position and are locked therein at the end of said movement, as is fully described in the aforesaid patent) the lip S is so moved as to permit the spring 1- to force the cross-bar 6 against the web m, thereby blocking the path of travel of the rack-bars'n, so as to prevent the operation of the slides t' until the entrance-harp is again raised, as previously described.

As will be obvious to all skilled in the art, the shape of the slot need not be exactly the same as that shown in the drawings. Indeed one wall of said slot will prove as effective to prevent the rotation of an actuator 61 as do both walls of the narrow portion of the said slot in the construction heroin shown.

In Figs. 1, 3, and 5 is shown the keyholestrip 10, formed with keyholes 11, through which access is obtained to the slotted front end of the actuators d, as is done through the keyholes 1 in the keyhole-strip z of my said patent.

What I claim is 1. In avoting-machine, the combination of a plurality of series of voting devices normally locked, with a selecting mechanism by which the voter is enabled to select and release one or more of said series and simultaneously lock one or more against release by him.

2. In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of series of voting devices normally locked with a non-voting selecting mechanism by which the voter is enabled to select and release one or more of said series and simultaneously lock one or more thereof against operation; and a resetting means.

3. In a voting-machine the combination of a plurality of series of voting devices normally inoperable with a selecting device by which to select and render operable one or more of said series and simultaneously lock one or more against operation; means for restoring said selecting device to its initial position and looking it therein; and releasing means to permit its operation.

4. In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of series of voting devices with a non-voting selecting mechanism by which to select and render operable one or more of said series and simultaneously to lock one or more of said series against operation. said voting devices all being normally inoperable; resetting mechanism operated by an exit-bar; and said exit-bar.

5. In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of series of voting devices with a selecting mechanism by which to select and render operable one or more of said series and simultaneously to lock the remaining series against operation, all said series being normally inoperable; resetting means operated by an exit-bar; said exit-bar; means for looking said mechanism in its initial position; means for releasing said locking means; and an entrance-bar by which to operate said releasing means.

6. In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of counting mechanisms; a plurality of actuators therefor; means rendering said actuators normally inoperable and operating means therefor both rendering some of said actuators operable and rendering others of said actuators inoperable without moving any of said actuators.

7. The combination of a plurality of voting mechanisms; apluralityofindependently-operable locking devices, each of which normally locks a plurality of said voting mechanisms; and means operable to shift any given locking device to release any given plural number of said voting mechanisms.

8. The combination of a plurality of voting mechanisms; aplurality ofindependently-operable locking devices, each of which normally looks a plurality of said voting mechanisms; and means operable to shift any given locking device to release any given plural 11 umber of said voting mechanisms and simultaneously to lock the remaining locking devices against operation.

9. The combination of a plurality of series of voting mechanisms; a plurality of locking devices, one for each of said series; and means operable to shift any one of said locking devices from looking into unlocking position while retaining the others in looking position.

10. In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of series of register-actuators;

a plurallty of locking devices normally in locking position, one for each of said series; and means operable to shift any one of said devices to release any given plural number of said actuating devices and simultaneously to lock the others of said devices against operation.

11. In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of series of voting mechanisms; a plurality of locking devices which normally render said voting mechanisms inoperable; and means whereby the operation of one of said locking devices to release and render operable a predetermined series results in locking the remaining devices against release and thereby retains the other series in an inoperable condition.

12. In a voting-machine, the combination of a machine-frame; a plurality of voting mechanisms mounted therein; a locking device mounted in said frame, which device normally renders said voting mechanisms inoperable by the voter; and non-votingmechanism designed and adapted to be freely operable by the voter for so moving said device as to render a plurality of said voting mechanisms operable by the voter While retaining the remainder thereof inoperable.

13. In a voting-machine, the combination of a voting-machine frame; a plurality of voting mechanisms mounted therein; a looking device which normally renders said voting mechanisms inoperable by the voter; mechanism designed and adapted to be freely operable by the voter for so moving said device as to rendera plurality of said votingmechanisms operable by him While retaining the remainder thereof inoperable; and means for automtically locking said mechanism when said voting mechanisms are made so operable.

14. In a voting-machine, the combination of a machine-frame, a plurality of voting mechanisms mounted therein; a device which normally renders said voting mechanisms inoperable by the voter; mechanism for so moving said device as to render a plurality of said voting mechanisms operable by the v0 ter While retaining the remainder thereof inoperable; means for locking said mechanism after said voting mechanisms are made operable by the voter; and means for releasing said locking means and restoring said mechanism to its initial position.

15. In a voting-machine, the combination of a machine-frame; a plurality of voting mechanisms mounted therein; a device which normally renders said voting-mechanisms inoperable mechanism for so moving said device as to rendersaid voting mechanisms operable; devices which prevent the actuation of said mechanism to render said voting mech anisms operable; and means for releasing said preventing devices, said means being designed and adapted to be freely operable by the voter.

16. In a voting-machine, the combination of a machineframe; a plurality of series of Voting mechanisms mounted therein; a plurality of devices, one for each of said series, which devices make normally inoperable the several series, each device its own series; and mechanism for so moving said devices as to make operable at the will of the voter one or more of said series.

17. In a voting-machine, the combination of a machine-frame; a plurality of series of voting mechanisms mounted therein; a plurality of devices, one for each of said series, which devices make normally inoperable the said series; and mechanism for so moving said devices as to make operable at the will of the voter one or more of said series and the devices of the remaining series inoperable by him.

18. In a voting-machine, the combination of a machine-frame; a plurality of series of voting mechanisms mounted therein; a plurality of devices which make inoperable said voting mechanisms; non-voting mechanism for so moving said devices as to make operable at the will of the voter certain of said series while the remainingseries continue inoperable by him; and locking means for said mechanism.

19. In a voting-machine, the combination of a machine-frame; a plurality of series of voting mechanisms mounted therein; a plurality of devices which make inoperable said voting mechanisms; mechanism for so moving said devices as to make operable some of said series While one or more thereof remain inoperable; means for locking said mechanism afterits operation; and means for releasing and restoring said mechanism toitsinitial position.

20. In a voting-machine, the combination of a machine-frame; a plurality of series of voting devices mounted therein; a plurality of devices which make inoperable normally said voting devices; mechanism for so moving said device; as to make operable some of said series while others thereof remain inoperable; means for locking said mechanism in its initial position; and means for releasing said locking means to permit the operation of said mechanism.

21. In a voting-machine, the combination of a machine-frame; a plurality of series of voting devices mounted therein; locking means which render normally inoperable said voting devices; and mechanism which releases some of said voting devices and simultaneously puts beyond control of the voter the release of one or more of said devices.

22. In a voting-machine, the combination with a plurality of series of voting devices of a plurality of mechanisms which in their normal position render said voting devices inoperable; and non-voting means under control of the voter for shifting said mechanisms from their normal position to render operable some of said voting devices and to continue one or more thereof in an inoperable condition.

23. In a voting-machine, the combination with a plurality of normally inoperable voting devices, of apertured members adapted and designed to be freely operable by the voter; and non-voting mechanism for shifting said members to release some of said Voting devices.

24. In a voting-machine, the combination of aplurality of voting devices; a plurality of apertured members, the apertures in which normally lie outof register With said devices; and mechanism which is adapted to be freely operable by the voter for so shifting said members as to bring the apertures into register with said devices and thereby to release said devices.

25. In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of apertured members; a plurality of voting devices normally out of register with the apertures in said members; and

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mechanism which is adapted to be freely operable by the voter for so shifting some of said members as to bring their apertures into register with their cooperating voting devices while one or more of said members areso moved thereby as to bring their apertures still farther out of register with their cooperating devices.

26. In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of normally inoperable voting devices; a plurality of apertured members, the apertures in which are normally out of register with their cooperating voting devices; mechanism for so shifting said members as to bring the apertures of some of said members into register with their cooperating voting devices while the apertures of the others of said members are moved still farther out of registry; and a locking means for said mechanism.

27. In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of normally inoperable voting devices; a plurality of apertured members, the apertures in which are normally out of register with their cooperating voting devices; mechanism for so shifting said members as to bring the apertures of some thereof into register with the cooperating voting devices while the apertures of others thereof are moved thereby out of register; a locking means for said mechanism; and means for resetting.

28. In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of normally inoperable voting devices; a plurality of apertured members, the apertures in which are normally out of register with their codperating voting devices; mechanism for so shifting said members as to bring the apertures of some thereof into register with their codperating voting devices while the apertures of others thereof are moved thereby out of register; means for preventing movement of said mechanism from its initial position; and a releasing device.

29. In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of voting devices normally inoperable; means which render said devices inoperable; non voting mechanism for so moving said means as to render said devices operable; an eXit-bar; and a resetting mechanism operatively connected with said exitbar and said mechanism.

30. In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of voting devices normally inoperable; means which render said devices inoperable; mechanism for so moving said means as to render said devices operable; locking means for preventing movement of said mechanism from its initial position; and an entrance-bar operatively connected with said locking means.

31. In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of voting devices normally inoperable; a plurality of locking-slides therefor; and an operating mechanism freely operable by the voter to shift any given slide.

32. In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of voting devices normally inoperable; a plurality of locking-slides therefor; an operating mechanism for said slides; means which prevent the movement of said mechanism and means freely operable by the voter to release said mechanism to permit said slides to be moved.

In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of voting devices normally inoperable; a plurality of locking-slides therefor; an operating mechanism for said slides; means which prevent the movement of said mechanism and means for releasing and restoring said operating mechanism to its initial position.

3a. In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of voting devices normally inoperable; a plurality of locking-slides therefor; an intermeshing toothed mechanism for operating said slides; and an exit-bar operatively connected with said mechanism.

35. In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of voting devices; a plurality of locking-slides therefor; an intermeshing toothed mechanism for operating said slides; means which prevent the movement of said mechanism; a releasing device for said mechanism; and an entrance-bar operatively connected with said releasing device.

36. In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of voting devices; a plurality of locking devices therefor; operating mechanism for said locking devices; a resetting mechanism; an exit-bar operatively connected with said mechanism; a locking means for locking said operating mechanism in its initial position; and an entrance-bar operatively connected with said locking means.

37. In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of voting mechanisms; means for rendering said mechanisms inoperable; an exit-bar by which said means are driven; a device for preventing the operation of said means; and an entrance-bar controlling said device.

38. In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of voting mechanisms; a plurality of devices for rendering said mechanisms inoperable; and means by which some of said devices are moved to render some of said mechanisms operable and simultaneously lock others of said devices against operation.

39. In a votingnnachine, the combination of a plurality of voting mechanisms; a plurality of devices for rendering said mechanisms inoperable; an exit-bar by which said devices are driven to render said mechanisms inoperable; and controlling means by which some of said devices are shifted to render operable certain of said mechanisms and lock others of said devices against movement.

40. In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of voting mechanisms; a plurality of devices for rendering said mechanisms inoperable; and means by which some of said devices are moved to render some of said mechanisms operable while others of said mechanisms remain inoperable and means by which all said devices are locked against further movement when some of said mechanisms are made operable.

41. In a voting-machine, the combination of a plurality of voting mechanisms; devices which render said mechanisms normally inoperable and are independently operable therefrom; and an operating device for said devices freely operable by the voter.

42. The combination of a plurality of series of voting devices normally locked, with a selecting mechanism common to said series by which the voter is enabled to select and release one or more of said series and simultaneously to lock one or more thereof against operation; and a resetting means.

43. The combination of a plurality of voting devices with a selecting mechanism common thereto by which to select and render operable one or more of said series and sim ultaneously to lock one or more thereofagainst reams operation; an exit-bar; and resetting mechanism operated by said exit-bar.

44. The combination of a pluralityof series of voting devices normally looked with a selecting mechanism common thereto by which to select and release one or more of said series and simultaneously to lock one or more thereof against release.

45. The combination of a plurality of series of voting mechanisms normally locked with a selecting but non-voting mechanism by which to select and release one or more of said series and simultaneously lock one or more thereof against release.

46. The combination of a plurality of voting mechanisms; devices which render said mechanisms normally inoperable and are independently operable therefrom; and mechanism for shifting said devices.

AIt'lllUR FRANCIS llAllllWllhh.

Witnesses:

F. T. BARDWELL, L. L. BARDWELL. 

